By Paul Fitzgerald – The Toronto Tribune
Deloitte has released its annual survey of CEO’s of Technology Fast 50 companies and revealed that nearly two thirds of companies have reported that attracting and retaining top talent is a huge and growing issue.
“Young Canadian tech companies from coast to coast are experiencing staggering growth, however, for these firms to maintain their trajectory they need to have the right talent mix,” says Robert Nardi, Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Managing Partner and Leader for Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 program.
“For today’s fast-growing companies, finding and attracting talent is of great importance,” adds Nardi.
Attracting and retaining top talent is not limited to the tech space. It is also an issue in many industries Canada-wide, according to Deloitte and other leading consulting firms that consistently measure the pulse of the business world.
According to Sandi Verrecchia, the founder and CEO of Satori Consulting in Burlington, ON, there are many effective strategies that companies can employ in order to attract top talent and keep them around.
“The issue comes in the execution. Businesses need to employ several strategies, no one strategy will suffice,” says Verrecchia, who is also known as a leading business therapist in Canada.
“The idea that happiness comes from the security of a long term job is lost on the millennial generation. Instead the bulk of today’s workforce is searching for fulfillment in their work lives and balance between their career and personal lives. With this search comes an unprecedented amount of job hopping. As a result all businesses, in every industry, need to adjust their sails to the way the wind is shifting. Any business that wants to grow and survive in today’s corporate world has to utilize a variety of unique approaches to attract and keep the best talent,” she says.
The number one way of attracting and keeping top talent is leadership, according to Verrecchia.
“A business is lost without true leadership,” she says. “Companies need to really focus on developing the soft skills of senior managers as these women and men set the tone for the rest of the organization. Managers and corporate executives, as well as CEOs, need to participate in leadership development programs to create better connection to others in the organization. Leadership development is on-going and millennials are attracted to organizations that invest in their people. Being able to create connection is the key.”
Verrecchia indicates that employer branding is also an effective way for companies to be a magnet for top talent.
“Google is one of the best examples of employer branding,” she says. “This is why they attract top talent and keep them. Creating a workplace that is vibrant and dynamic is great, but they have also succeeded in creating a culture that empowers employees and has a clearly articulated and understood mission and vision that connects their people to their brand. This is a successful recipe not just for attraction but is a key ingredient for retention.”
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Giving your talent a reason to stay with your company is also important in attracting and retaining the right kinds of professionals.
“Today’s professionals want interesting work to do and they want to feel connected with the business they work for,” says Verrecchia. “They want to have a clear line of sight to how their individual contribution helps supports the overall corporate strategy. They want to feel valued and know that they are making a positive difference in helping a business grow. This is why companies now need to review the ways in which they reward their employees, but also liberally share the corporate strategy and ask for input as much as possible from all stakeholders both vertically and horizontally. The more connected and valued an employee feels the longer a company will be able to keep them engaged. It’s all a win-win for both the employee and the business.”
Verrecchia has many years of experience in leadership coaching and strategy and she knows first-hand that losing top talent is often detrimental for a business.
“There are high costs associated with staff turnover from the hiring process to training and development to the cost of lost productivity. In addition there is the emotional toll that high turnover can place on an organization.” she says.
She adds, “Create connection for your employees. Assess your leadership, define and market your brand culture. These steps will position your organization to attract top talent. Listen and include employees by asking for input and make sure they understand the connection between their work and the organizational goals. These steps will increase retention of your top talent. Focusing on this multipronged connection strategy will attract and keep the best professionals and will ultimately increase productivity and help your business grow.”
About Sandi Verrecchia and Satori Consulting Inc.
Sandi Verrecchia is a Certified Management Consultant, holds a Master’s degree and is a professional Leadership Coach and Consultant. With over 20 years of experience in the financial services, academic and non-profit sectors, her diverse background of consulting, teaching, operations, marketing and sales is a wonderful compliment to her passion for coaching. She is highly sought after as a business therapist for scores of organizations.
Sandi holds the position of President and CEO of Satori Consulting Inc. where she and her team provide analytical services, coaching and strategy support to a wide variety of clients.
As a Leadership Coach, Sandi helps clients and organizations acquire objectivity and distance so that they can begin to change the behaviours that are limiting their effectiveness. Her firm is built on awareness, commitment and practice to enable clients to gain perspective and lock in lasting change.
Sandi has a Masters’ degree from Royal Roads University, is a Certified Management Consultant through the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and is a Certified Leadership Coach through The Coaches Institute. Sandi is also currently enrolled in the Directors College at McMaster University. This designation will increase her ability to lead corporations and boards by applying the latest corporate governance principles, practices and insights.
Sandi is also certified in Myers Briggs and Benchmarks Leadership 360.
Organizations partner with Satori Consulting for expertise, knowledge and unprecedented customer service that come from a boutique operation that is founded on a strong set of values.